


There You Are

by 21bangsfangirl



Category: NCT (Band), WAYV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Magic, Not Canon Compliant, Secret Society, Shapeshifting, johnten, mentions of other nct boys, mentions of wayv boys too, yuwin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-05-07 11:55:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19208893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/21bangsfangirl/pseuds/21bangsfangirl
Summary: Nakamoto Yuta is an ordinary college boy juggling between two jobs and trying to fill demanding expectations. He has his life turned upside down when he found a cat shivering on the side of the road one evening. He brings the cat home and names him Winwin, not knowing what or who the cat really is, and that he has entered a whole another world filled with spells and magic as he tucks the shivering furball against his chest.His best friend, Johnny, might just be roped into his story without intending to.akaYuwin in a Strange Magical Soulmate Alternate Universe with a side of Johnten





	1. Losing Myself

**Author's Note:**

> Hello world!~  
> This is my first contribution to the NCT fandom. I miss Winwin in 127 :( but he's doing great in WayV so nothing but support for the boys!
> 
> Enjoy~
> 
> Note:  
> Set in an Unnamed City in the States. Everyone speaks fluent English.

**Chapter 1 - Losing Myself**

* * *

* * *

 

 

The hustle and bustle of the city illuminates the dark night. A tall and skinny young man, Sicheng, observes the city from a distance. He runs his fingers absent-mindedly against the seams of his trousers. The world of the mundane has always fascinated him. Sicheng always wonders how it would feel like to live without any knowledge of the magic. He wants to live among the carefree people without worrying if he would succeed in his next mission.

“There you are,” a voice cuts off his train of thought. Sicheng turns his head towards the source of the voice. It’s Kun, his senior. Looking to scold him probably.

“Am I in trouble?” Sicheng asks. He turns his attention back to the distant city lights as he waits for Kun to answer.

“Not right now, no. But if you keep looking at the city with that look in your eyes you might be. Can’t you let your obsession go?”

Sicheng sighs. “I am not obsessed. I just don’t know why we have to hide our existence from the mundane. We look exactly like them and we could just not use our magic when interacting with them.”

Kun walks closer to Sicheng and stands a good inch away from him. “Have you been sleeping in classes, Sicheng? We would risk their safety by living among them, inviting the evil to attack them to draw us out instead.”

Sicheng knows this. The centuries old war between good and evil. The magic society was founded decades ago to protect the mundane from the evil. The people of magic used to live among the mundane. There was even a time where mundane knew their existence, but it only risked the safety of the mundane, so the High Priest decided that it would be better to create a veil between the mundane and the magic.

“Well that hasn’t really shown results, has it? There are wars everywhere in the world. Greed, corruption, hatred attack mankind each day.”

Kun clasps his hands together and blows on it, muttering a warming spell under his breath. The chilly weather has gotten to his bones.

“I have to say that you’re wrong there. The earth has been more peaceful that it has ever been. Yes, wars are still raging everywhere, the planet is essentially dying and people still suffer everywhere—“

Sicheng scoffs. Kun sends him a glare.

“—But there are places where people are able to live and love freely. Sure we would want it to be better, and that’s why we exist, Sicheng.”

Sicheng doesn’t answer him. He keeps on looking at the city lights longingly. Closing his eyes, he whispers a spell softly against the wind to listen to the sounds of the city.

He hears the sound of the traffic, of friends laughing in a bowling alley, of the shy hushed whispers of lovers in an intimate restaurant. He wants it all.

Few long minutes has passed perhaps, because when Sicheng turns to look at Kun, he is no longer there. Sicheng frowns. A fleeting forbidden thought crosses his mind. He wants to experience life among the mundane. He has been looking for a while now. Looking for something, anything to help him go into the mundane world safely and undetected. _Just for a day_ , Sicheng tells himself. So he closes his eyes again. In one short breath, he whispers a dangerous spell, an ancient one. The one he accidentally stumbled upon when he was researching for one of his trainings.

The shapeshifting spell.

 

* * *

* * *

 

Yuta isn’t miserable. He swears he isn’t. Well, it is not his fault that the weather today is wet and gloomy. This city during autumn is just very unpleasant. He sighs as he softly closes the thick textbook that he’s been trying to read for a good twenty minutes. They are currently in the library preparing for their upcoming finals. Yuta wishes that he had a superpower that allowed him to absorb the content of the books without actually reading them.

“Are you alright?” his friend, Taeil, asks without turning to him. Taeil still has his nose buried in the equally thick book in front of him.

Yuta groans. “I’m fine, just…”

“You want exam week to end soon?”

“Yeah,” Yuta replies almost inaudibly.

This time, Taeil sighs and finally turns his attention to his friend that is sitting beside him. “You need a break. You work seven days a week beside all this university crap. I don’t know how I would survive if I were you, to be honest.”

“The bills are not gonna pay themselves, Taeil. I can’t prove my parents right for not allowing me to go to the States for university.” Yuta bangs his head once against the desk.

“Whoa, calm down, Yuta. You need that brain of yours for finals,” Johnny—a Korean-American he met in his Microeconomics class two years ago—tells Yuta as he slams himself down on the seat across Yuta and Taeil. “So I heard a gossip that Hayley from Literature confessed to you and you rejected her?”

Yuta groans again. “Where did you hear all these things from?”

“I have my sources,” Johnny replies with a smug grin on his face. Yuta wants to punch him.

“Well, it happened,” Yuta answers with a sigh.

Yuta directs his attention back to Taeil, who has returned his to the book in front of him. Unsurprisingly, Taeil speaks again, “You need to unwind too, Yuta. Honestly, you are classically attractive but you keep on rejecting all these girls. You are not going to stay twenty three forever.”

“Taeil’s right. Look, Yuta, we can help you find a girl. I have connections and I’m sure Taeil has his connections. I could ask my cousin, Mark, too if you’re into younger girls.”

The conversation has definitely taken a turn into something that Yuta doesn’t want to participate in anymore. Why do his friends keep on insisting that he should be with someone? It’s not like they’re in a relationship either.

“Whatever,” Yuta retorts. He gathers his books and stands up. “I’m just gonna leave you guys to gossip. I’m sure your connections can help _you guys_ get a girlfriend.”

“Hey, Yuta!” Johnny calls after him but Yuta ignores him. _Nosy people_ , he thinks to himself.

 

* * *

 

The rain has started falling against the concrete. Yuta quickens his steps and hugs the books he borrowed from the library closer against his chest. He has work in two hours so he wishes that he could get a quick shut-eye before getting ready for his job. His friends’ words still echoes in his mind, telling him to take a break and meet someone. It isn’t like he does not want to meet someone, he just simply doesn’t have the time for it. Meeting someone means that he must dedicate his time and attention to the other person. Yuta barely even has time for himself, let alone taking care of a lover.

Oh, and he also hasn’t told his friends that he isn’t only attracted to girls. Not that he has to, he just feels like he wants his friend to know. And, not that he needs their approval.

Or maybe Yuta just wants to know if his friends would accept him the way he is.

Suddenly, Yuta stops in his tracks. His eyes cast downwards to a small shivering creature in front of him. A cat. Perhaps a little over a year old.

The little ginger creature stares up at him with wide eyes. A silent plea. Yuta isn’t sure what the creature wants him to do. But the small thing looks so sad, cold and scared. It’s autumn and the temperature has not been friendly lately. Adding rain to the mix only makes it even colder. Yuta cannot imagine what would happen to the cat in the upcoming winter. So, he crouches down and let his fingers run against its wet yellowish coat.

“What do you want from me?”

The cat doesn’t answer. Not even a whimper or a whine.

“I can’t take you home little one. I don’t think I have enough to feed you, nor the time to actually take care of you.”

The cat keeps on staring up at Yuta, asking for something that Yuta, of course, cannot comprehend. Yuta seems to finally understand what people on the internet have been saying. You don’t adopt a cat, a cat adopts _you_.

With a sigh, Yuta lifts the small feline up and covers him with his dark blue varsity jacket. His heart has decided for him. He is going to take care of this little cat.

The cat nuzzles against Yuta’s chest and purrs. Yuta smiles and whispers, “I’m going to take care of you and give you a home.”

 

* * *

 

 _Winwin_.

Yuta thinks to himself and grins. He stares lovingly at the fuzzy furball lying on his bed. “I will call you Winwin,” he tells ~~the cat~~ _Winwin_.

Winwin’s eyes seem to shine at the nickname.

“You like that?” Yuta smiles at Winwin. He, then, walks to the fridge and rummages shortly for anything that could be given to Winwin. He settles on the grilled chicken he usually uses to make a sandwich in the morning before he heads to class.

The cat jumps towards Yuta when he puts the plateful of chicken chunks on the floor. Yuta pets Winwin softly, watching the small thing chomps away on the chicken.

“When was the last time you eat, huh? You seem to be very hungry,” Yuta chuckles.

The sudden chime of his phone brings Yuta back to reality. He walks to his bag to get his phone. Sighing when he sees Johnny’s text sending him the contact of a girl called Riley. Frustrated, Yuta throws the phone to the sofa. He really needs a nap.

Winwin is still enjoying his food and that makes Yuta smile. He walks back to his cat and bends down to pat the little thing.

“I’m gonna take a nap, okay kitty? I got work in an hour,”

Yuta pets Winwin one last time before standing up to take his nap. He is definitely not looking forward to bury his arms in piles of dishes at the restaurant.

 

* * *

 

“Hey, Winwin. I’m back,” Yuta calls out in a singsong voice. He takes off his shoes and throws his coat to the sofa.

Winwin who was lounging comfortably at the foot of the kitchen counter, skips happily to Yuta’s side.  Yuta smiles. His fatigue fades instantly when he looks at Winwin wide eyes staring up at him.

“You hungry, little one?”

Winwin replies with a small meow.

“I take that as a yes, huh?”

Still in his work uniform, Yuta walks to his fridge and cuts up a few chunks of chicken for his new feline friend.

Yuta, then, proceeds to clean the outside world up. He has a few hours to rest before he has to wake up to study before having to go to university. Sometimes he wishes to just say ‘screw you’ to the world and take the whole day off, but he’s already done that to his life back in Osaka and he cannot afford to do it again here.

As he slips in into his pajamas, he hears the sound of Winwin’s soft meow approaching him in the bed.

“Hey, Winwin. You done eating?”

Winwin answers by climbing up the bed and butting his head against Yuta’s knee. Yuta chuckles. “You’re so cute. I’m so glad I took you in.”

With a sigh, Yuta grabs the pile of books on the nightstand next to his bed. He flips the pages carelessly to look for the section he needs to study.

“I’m so glad you’re here, Winwin. It was getting kinda lonely,” Yuta tells the cat that is currently nuzzling against his thigh. “I love Taeil and Johnny but they can get a bit much sometime. I just can’t afford to take a break at this point, you know, Winwin?”

Fingers running wordlessly against Winwin’s fuzzy back. Yuta laughs to himself. “What am I even doing? You probably don’t understand, or even if you do you won’t care about what I said.”

Still patting Winwin gently, Yuta continues, “Whatever. Well, as long as you’re here, all is better already.”

That night, Yuta continues his study peacefully with Winwin dozing off at his side.


	2. Got Myself In A Mess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kun sends Ten to bring Sicheng back. Sicheng's spell wore off.

**Chapter 2 - Got Myself In A Mess**

 

* * *

* * *

 

 

 _Nakamoto Yuta_. The name is stuck inside Kun’s head.

_Who is this person and why is Sicheng spending a lot of time with him?_

Kun has been tracking Sicheng’s magical energy for a while ever since he disappeared a few days ago. He has found that his energy is entwined with a mundane called Nakamoto Yuta. He sensed that something is off about Sicheng’s energy but he cannot put a finger on it. All he knows is that he needs to bring Sicheng back.

“Qian Kun,” a middle-aged blonde woman approaches Kun who is fidgeting on the old bench in the candle-lit hallway. The woman is wearing a dark blazer with a dark skirt. Her blood red heels give her a good inch above Kun. “The reading shows that there will be an attack near Phoenix in the next hour. Is your team ready to handle it?”

Kun fixes his composure. “Yes, Ma’am. I will prepare my team to handle the situation.”

“Good. I expect to hear your report on it soon,” the woman replies shortly before retreating back to one of the offices in the hallway.

Kun pinches the bridge of his nose. He quickly makes his way back to the common room he shares with his team. He is worried about Sicheng. The last time Kun saw him was at the creek when Sicheng was staring at the city longingly, like he wants to be part of it. Kun has always known about Sicheng’s strange interest in the mundane world. No one else in his team particularly cares about the other world. Most of them never really thought about the other world, too focused on their tasks and missions, on their lives in the magic world, especially Ten.

Kun doesn’t play favourites. He knows that everyone in his team is loyal and would stop at nothing to accomplish their goals. Although in this current situation, Kun sees that Ten will be the person most suitable for what he plans to do.

Once he enters the common room, his eyes scan for Ten. He spots him joking around with Hendery, who is also a member of his team. He walks to them.

“Ten, I need to speak to you,” Kun says once he is standing over Ten and Hendery.

Hendery looks at Ten briefly before moving away to join their other teammates, Lucas, Xiaojun and Yangyang in their heated D&D session.

“Did I do something wrong?” Ten’s voice turns Kun’s attention from his other teammates to him.

“Oh, no, _no_. Of course not.”

“Then what is it?” Ten asks curiously. His eyes are focused on Kun’s fidgeting fingers.

“It’s Sicheng,” Kun answers.

“So you’ve tracked his whereabouts?”

Kun nods, “I did.”

“So? Where is he? Let’s go get him. I’m sure the rest of the guys are—“

“That’s the problem,” Kun cuts Ten off.

Ten tilts his head in question. “Why?”

“He’s outside the portal.”

Ten’s eyes widens in surprise. “He’s in the mundane world?”

Kun nods once. “I can’t have the whole team going after him. Besides, we got a mission in Phoenix.”

“So?”

“ _So_ , I need you to go after him.”

At that, Ten jerks away from Kun. “I’m not going to the mundane world! Are you crazy? Why don’t _you_ go to the mundane world?”

Kun sighs. He expected this kind of reaction from Ten. Ten has never been fond of the mundane world. He lost a senior that he respected a lot to the mundane world.

“Ten, his energy is currently entwined with someone named Nakamoto Yuta. I have done some research on him. He is a 23 year old college student, which is the same age as you are. So you’re the person for the job.”

Ten still doesn’t budge, “That is a stupid reason for sending me, Qian Kun. You’re 23, too. Why don’t you go?”

“Ten, please. I really wished it could be me who is going instead of you. I don’t want to put any other person in our team in harm’s way. You’re the best at undercover operations and I have a responsibility to the team and to the Boss. As of now, she doesn’t know that Sicheng is missing, but if I go, she will definitely know that something is up. I trust that you can do this, Ten.”

Ten wants to argue. Kun sees it from the furrow of his eyebrows. But he decides against it, opting to nod instead. “Fine, I’ll do it. Only because I want Sicheng to be back here and safe.”

Kun smiles. He knows that he can count on Ten. “Thank you—“

“Please. Thank me when he’s already here and safe,” Ten tells him with a small smile.

Kun nods. Kun has always seen how amazing Ten is. He knows he has grown some sort of fondness towards the other man, but Ten is just…Ten. Caring, friendly and touchy with everyone. He knows better than to start hoping for something other than friendship from Ten.

Pushing the thought away from his head, Kun puts a hand briefly on top of Ten’s before standing up to address the rest of his team.

“Guys, team meeting! There is a breach near Phoenix.”

 

* * *

* * *

 

The sun hangs low in the sky. The air is a tad bit chilly and Yuta can feel it seeping under his skin. He hugs himself tighter to fight off the cold. He quickens his steps when his apartment building comes into view. The owner of the restaurant he works at gave him the weekend off. ‘You need a break. You work too hard,’ he said. Yuta, surely, is happy about that. That means he can just relax at home, watch his favourite shows, read his favourites mangas and, of course, spend more time with Winwin.

He is excited to see his little Winwin. The cat has been living under his roof for almost two weeks now. Winwin’s presence helped Yuta get through the harsh exam week and actually made him a little happier than he was before.

Taeil and Johnny apparently noticed his change of mood and, as per usual, bugged him to ‘spill the tea’. They snickered when Yuta told him that he got a new cat. Johnny threw in a remark that went along the line of ‘what kind of a cat makes you glow like that, I want one too’. Yuta ignored him. _That kinky bastard_.

He says a quick hello to the receptionist at the desk as he heads to the elevator. The sight of Winwin greeting Yuta at his door lifts his mood. He smiles and crouches down to softly pat Winwin on the head.

“Hey Winwin. You miss me?” Yuta asks the cat that is currently nuzzling his head against Yuta’s freezing palm. “You do, don’t ya?”

He walks into the kitchen. “You finished your food?” Yuta grabs the bag of cat food and pours a generous amount into Winwin’s bowl. “Finish that, yeah? I’m going to clean up.”

After putting all the things he carried on the sofa, Yuta then proceeds to clean up and get ready for bed. The young man lifts his cat after he slipped into his pajamas. He peeks at Winwin’s bowl and plants a small kiss on the cat’s nose.

“Such a good boy. Always finishes his food,” Yuta praises Winwin with a grin. The cat replies with a small lick on Yuta’s nose. It makes Yuta chuckle. “You’re so cute!”

Yuta lies on the bed and puts Winwin on his chest.

“I’m glad I found you, Winwin. I love you,” Yuta whispers lowly.

He falls asleep to the sound of Winwin’s soft purr.

 

* * *

 

_Warm. So warm._

_Don’t ever want to go back, to leave Yuta._

_Yuta. Love Yuta._

Sicheng still has his eyes closed. Yuta’s scent envelops his senses. It has been lingering in the air, around him, in his mind. Sicheng knows it’s dangerous, knows that he cannot stay here, knows that he has to go back eventually, that he has to find a way to return to his human form. He has responsibilities back in the magic world.

If he were honest, he did not think the whole thing through. He just wanted to know how the mundane world is, so when he found the shapeshifting spell, he thought it would be the perfect spell to help him go into this world undetected. He must admit that he did not study the spell properly. He knew that the spell has been abandoned for decades because it was found to be faulty, but he overestimated himself. Sicheng is the best when it comes to spells, better than anyone else in his team. He has performed numerous dangerous spells before and succeeded in each and every one of them. Not this time, though.

He tried to recite the words that should turn him back into his human form. Over and over and over. It didn’t work. Dejected, Sicheng roamed the city aimlessly.

Then Yuta happened.

 _Yuta_ , caring, thoughtful, hardworking, determined, funny, handsome. Beautiful; mind, body and soul. Sicheng wants to stay here forever. He wants to be there for Yuta, to help him get through his heavy and tiring days. He wants to comfort Yuta when the outside world is too much for him.

Thoughtlessly, Sicheng trails his fingers along Yuta’s chest, raising and lowering peacefully with every breath he takes.

Wait… _Fingers?_

Before Sicheng can register the situation, he gets thrown off the bed by a pair of strong arms.

“What the _fuck?_ Who are you? Is this some _sick joke_?” Yuta shouts at him.

Sicheng runs his hand through his hair. He’s… _human again_.

Sicheng takes his time to look at himself. Oh _shit_ , he’s naked. He quickly grabs the blanket on Yuta’s bed.

“Answer me!” Yuta demands.

This time, Sicheng lifts his head to look at Yuta in the eyes. How is he going to explain this to Yuta?

“Yuta, I’m…Winwin,” Sicheng answers hesitantly.

“ _What?_ You’re messing with me. Who are you and how did you get inside?”

Sicheng watches as Yuta makes his way to his nightstand. He pulls the top drawer to take his handgun out.

Sicheng lifts his left hand up and says, “ _Guān!_ ” The drawer slams shut before Yuta could take the gun out.

“What the fuck?!”

“Yuta, please,” Sicheng says. “Let me explain myself.”

Yuta doesn’t move an inch. He only eyes Sicheng with wary and suspicion.

“Yuta…,” Sicheng says again, pleading.

Sicheng is still sitting on the cold floor, wrapped in nothing but Yuta’s blanket. Yuta walks to the edge of his bed and sits himself there. “Talk.”

“My name is Sicheng and I’m…not of this world,” Sicheng starts. “I come from the world of magic. I wanted to see your world so I shapeshifted into a cat and got trapped because the spell I used was faulty. Then you found me, and the rest you already know. Here I am right now, apparently the spell has worn off.”

“So what? You’re an…alien? Why did you come to me?”

Sicheng smiles at his questions. “No, I’m human, like you. I just have magical abilities. My ancestors created a veil that separates your world with mine. Many years ago, your people and mine used to live side by side, no separation. But it seems to not be the greatest of ideas. Meeting you was completely coincidental but I’m glad that I did.”

“But…why?”

Yuta seems speechless. Sicheng can see that the whole thing is too much for the other man.

“One example? Salem Witch Trial,” Sicheng answers, his expression darkens. “I’m sorry this happened. I’ll just go,” Sicheng continues. He doesn’t want to leave Yuta, but this is for Yuta’s sake. He doesn’t want to invite any entity that might target him to come to Yuta’s home. Sicheng then stands up, still holding on to the blanket that covers his nakedness from Yuta’s eyes. He whispers something under his breath. Soft orange beam covers his body briefly before fading away slowly. Sicheng drops the blanket, revealing his body that is now clothed in a denim shirt over a nude coloured t-shirt and light coloured jeans covering his long legs. His black hair is now neatly combed, few strands covering his forehead.

“Wait,” Yuta tells him. Sicheng doesn’t move. He watches as Yuta stands and makes his way to him. He is standing a good inch above Yuta. He chuckles internally on how strange it is to have Yuta shorter than him. Usually, Yuta was always towering above him in his cat form.

Sicheng thinks he sees something in Yuta’s eyes, something like recognition. Sicheng was hopeful for a split second but Yuta recoils. He takes a few steps back away from Sicheng.

“I… I need to process this,” Yuta tells him.

“Yuta—“

“This is a dream, isn’t it? My cat, Winwin, is actually a very gorgeous man,” Yuta says, to himself perhaps. Yuta laughs before saying, “Maybe Johnny and Taeil are right. Maybe I need a break before I go completely off the rails.”

Sicheng tries to not blush at Yuta’s comment on him being a ‘very gorgeous man’. He clears his throat to kick the thought off his head. “Yuta. I must go back now that I am no longer trapped as a cat. Thank you for taking care of me.”

Sicheng smiles and starts making his way towards the door.

“Sicheng, wait,” Yuta grabs his wrist. Sicheng’s eyes travel from the hand on his arm to Yuta’s bright eyes.

Sicheng sees it. He sees that Yuta feels it, feels their bond.

“Didn’t you say that you want to experience my world? Let me show you this world, properly, as humans,” Yuta tells him in one breath. The words coming out of Yuta’s mouth take Sicheng aback. He did not expect Yuta to say those words.

“Yuta, I—my people must be looking for me.”

“Don’t go back yet. It’s strange, I know. I don’t know what it is. I should be kicking you out now, but… ”

Sicheng feels it. The strange and unfamiliar force forcing him to be close to Yuta. He’s read about it before in one of Ten’s harlequins. He doesn’t want to entertain the thought, though.

So Sicheng moves Yuta’s hand away from his arm, but he tells him, “One more day can’t hurt, right?”

The smile Yuta gives him after makes him think it is worth whatever fate he must face back in the magic world.

“But you have to sleep on the couch,” Yuta tells him.

Sicheng laughs.

 

* * *

* * *

 

It is chilly. Ten squeezes the hem of his jacket as he makes his way into the university building. Ten has managed to register himself as an exchange student from Thailand at Nakamoto Yuta’s university. He contemplated to just track Sicheng’s energy and retrieve him straight away but Ten is curious.

All he’s heard about the mundane world was bad things and how the mundane are powerless, that’s why his people must protect them. He wants to see for himself how this world is like, to pass his own judgement on the mundane without any influence from anyone else. That’s why he takes the long way of attempting to blend in as a part of this world.

The information desk officer greets him when he enters the building. He throws the kind lady a smile and asks her where his first class is. She politely points him to the right direction.

He scans the almost full classroom and spots an empty seat next to a tall guy currently fiddling with his phone. He makes his way to the seat.

“Hello, is this seat taken?” he greets the stranger.

The stranger turns his head to Ten and eyes him from top to toe. Ten feels a little bit hot under his collar because _damn_ the guy is really attractive. His dark brown hair covering his narrow eyes. His nose is just the perfect size, not too big or too small. His lips are shapely and are currently slightly gaped as the guy looks at him. Those broad shoulders too… _man._

“Actually it was, but Yuta can just find his own seat when he comes. You can take the seat. I don’t think I’ve seen you here before.”

The mention of Yuta completely caught Ten’s attention. He must befriend this person to get to Yuta. Ten knows that there is no other Yuta in this class so it must be the person he’s looking for. Also the guy is very attractive and Ten never misses out on a little bit of fun.

“No, actually I’m an exchange student from Thailand and today is my first day.”

The guy smiles at him. “Wow, Thailand, huh? Well, I’m Johnny Seo. Born and raised in 'Muhrica. Nice to meet you…?”

“Ten.”

“Nice to meet you, Ten.”

The guy offers his hand and Ten takes it. He can tell that he’s going to have so much fun in this world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter!  
> Let me know what you think!  
> Don't forget to leave kudos and comments!
> 
> Buy me a [kofi](http://ko-fi.com/21bangsfangirl), if you'd like! :)


	3. You Won't Be Far

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuta and Winwin fight against their soulbond only to give in to it in the end.

**Chapter 3 - You Won't Be Far**

 

* * *

* * *

 

Yuta wakes up to the sound of butter sizzling on the pan. He groggily opens his eyes. His vision is greeted with a sight of a good-looking guy rummaging through his kitchen cabinet while something is cooking on the stove. All at once, the events of last night come back to him. He fell asleep cuddling his cute little Winwin and woke up in the middle of the night from a weight on his chest. His cat turned out to be a very attractive man with magic powers. Yuta still wonders what is going on.

Yuta has his eyes fixed on Sicheng’s frame. He questions his sanity for a moment when he sees the long lines of Sicheng’s body. The said man is still wearing the clothes he willed on himself last night. Yuta has never believed in God so he never prayed to any form of God. But here Sicheng is, cooking in his kitchen as if some God had answered his prayers. Sicheng is exactly how Yuta imagined his ideal man would look like. Soft and strong, gentle and intimidating at the same time.

Last night, he stared up at Yuta, covered in Yuta’s blanket. Looking like he belonged right there, like he was made to be wrapped up in Yuta’s belonging. In Yuta’s arms, if he dared to say.

 _Beautiful_ , Yuta had thought.

Truthfully, Yuta is confused as to why he didn’t kick Sicheng out or why he wasn’t as mad as he thought he would be. There’s just something about Sicheng, maybe it’s because he’s magic.

“Good morning, Yuta. Breakfast?” Sicheng asks him. His eyes shine as he look at Yuta with a wide grin splitting his face. Yuta should be angry. He doesn’t like it when someone uses his things without his permission. But Sicheng is looking at him with those bright eyes. Yuta loses all his common sense.

“Yuta?” Sicheng asks again because Yuta only stares at him without answering.

“Oh, morning. What are you making?” Yuta replies.

“Eggs and sausages. I found them almost expired in your fridge.”

Sicheng checks on the egg briefly before walking closer to Yuta. “I’m sorry that I didn’t ask you first if I could do all this. I just thought maybe you’d like someone to cook for you since you mostly just eat junk food. I’m still sorry for all of this, Yuta. Just say the words and I’ll leave.”

“Hey, Sicheng,” Yuta reaches an arm to hold Sicheng’s hand. “I can’t pretend to even begin to understand what’s going on with you. I don’t know if it’s because you’ve been here for around two weeks or what, but I feel close to you somehow. And I’d like to show you around the city, like I told you last night.”

The sudden sharp smell of the egg burning on the pan turns Yuta’s attention away from Sicheng’s smile. Sicheng rolls his eyes in annoyance before sitting down on the edge of the bed near Yuta’s feet.

“Yangyang was right. I really can’t cook to save my life,” Sicheng mutters to himself. Sicheng faces the kitchen from where he is sitting and mutters a spell in a language that Yuta doesn’t understand. He watches Sicheng’s hands move in a hypnotising flow as he works his magic on Yuta’s kitchen utensils, reminding him of a dance he saw years ago during a Chinese New Year Celebration. Yuta has never witnessed something as strange and amazing as what he is currently seeing. The slightly burned omelette reverses so it is now well cooked. Another egg cracks by itself and sizzles on the pan. Two plates from Yuta’s dish rack fly and settle on the kitchen counter. The sausages from the pack settle themselves on the plates, two for each plate. Food and utensils continue flying back and forth preparing themselves. Finally, the two plates filled with nicely prepared omelette and sausages land on Yuta and Sicheng’s hand, complete with a pair of knife and fork. Yuta stares at the food on his hand then at Sicheng. The man is smiling cutely, his eyes turning into half moons.

“Breakfast?”

The whole show renders him speechless. “Whoa, that was amazing!”

Yuta cuts a piece and shoves it into his mouth. Gasping and eyes widening when he tastes the food on his lap.

“It tastes really good too! I never knew that eggs and sausages could taste this good. You’re really good!”

Sicheng looks down at his plate bashfully. “It really was nothing. I still can’t cook.”

Yuta laughs. “Well, I’d say you’re a spectacular cook.”

A faint red paints Sicheng’s cheeks and Yuta wants nothing more than to place his fingers there, so he does. His eyes land on Sicheng’s bright ones. Yuta has seen a lot of attractive men in his twenty three years of existence. But Sicheng, Sicheng is a different story. There is just something about him. Something about the way his soft lashes sweep against his face when he blinks. Something about the pleasant slope of the bridge of his nose. Something about those pouty lips. Yuta now has one hand on Sicheng’s chin. His brain knows that he should pull away. Sicheng is a stranger that comes from another world. But Yuta only leans closer, as if he isn’t in control of his own body. His eyes are now fixed on Sicheng’s lips. Whatever Yuta is currently feeling, Sicheng must be feeling it too because he’s also leaning closer to Yuta. His hands are gripping the plate on his lap, same as Yuta’s other hand that isn’t currently softly caressing Sicheng’s jaw.

“Yuta...,” Sicheng says his name. Yuta leans even closer and the air around them suddenly feels different. He suddenly feels foreign emotions running through his veins. Emotions and feelings that are not necessarily his but he feels them anyway. Fear, curiousity, desire and an abundance of love. It doesn’t take long for Yuta to realise that those emotions are Sicheng’s. And right at that moment, Yuta knows that he feels the same way about Sicheng. An overwhelming feeling of love and affection for someone he just met. Yuta is suddenly in love with Sicheng and he would do anything for the other man. The realisation makes him let go of Sicheng’s face and scoots away from him. Something is not right. Some other force is at play here. His eyes are wide as he looks at Sicheng.

“D-Did you just...? What did you do to me?”

Sicheng is staring at him in confusion and shock.

“I didn’t do anything to you. Yuta, what—“

Yuta quickly stands up, grabs some clothes from the pile near the bed and heads to the bathroom without saying a word to Sicheng.

“Yuta, tell me. What was it?” Sicheng calls out to him, which Yuta ignores.

He tries to tune Sicheng out, focusing on getting ready for his class. He just remembers that he has class today. Yuta never forgets about things related to school or work and Yuta is suddenly angry. Sicheng must be doing something to him that makes him feel as if Sicheng was the love of his life instead of a stranger that he just met last night. Despite the fact that his cat, Winwin, has lived with him for almost two weeks, Sicheng is still a stranger.

Sicheng is still sitting on the edge of his bed when Yuta comes out of the bathroom. The breakfast on his plate is still untouched. Both plates are now on the kitchen table, still looking very delicious to Yuta’s hungry belly. He’s not going to eat it though. A list of scary superstitions told by his grandmother when he was younger flashes in his mind.

“Yuta,” Sicheng says his name again. Yuta feels a shiver run through his body from the way his name rolls of Sicheng’s tongue.

“I don’t know what you did to me,” Yuta starts. He looks everywhere but at Sicheng, scared that Sicheng might do something to him again. Grabbing some books and shoving them in his backpack, Yuta continues, “But I don’t want you here anymore. I have class and I want you gone when I’m back.”

Sicheng stands up and slowly makes his way to Yuta.

“Yuta, please. Talk to me, I—“

Yuta shuts the door on Sicheng’s face. Something is seriously wrong.

 

* * *

 

Something is seriously wrong. Sicheng knows that, but he doesn’t know what it is. He feels the alien warmth on his fingertips when Yuta touches his skin. He feels as if his power had intensified, like he could take on a large demon on his own.

The feeling is completely foreign to Sicheng. Not the one about his power, _no_. But the feeling that you had found the person that you have been waiting for all your life, without actually knowing that you had been waiting. Sicheng has been in relationships before and he had liked them. He even fell in love once before, but it wasn’t like this. It wasn’t this intense this quick.

Yuta must have also felt something because all of a sudden he got really scared. Sicheng wants to know what it was but Yuta doesn’t want him there anymore. If he were honest, he wants nothing more than to stay by Yuta’s side. But his time in this world is long overdue anyway. His team must be looking for him. It’s time for him to come back to his own world. He will surely miss this world.

Sicheng sighs. He hates wasting food so he packs the omelette and sausage he made in two small food containers to give them away to homeless people. He sighs again when he is at Yuta’s door. He turns around to take in the comfortable small apartment for the last time. He must forget about Yuta. The magic law that forbid him to interact with this world are so stupid and Sicheng suddenly hates the council with every fibre of his being. The sad thing is, there is nothing he can do.

Sicheng leaves.

 

* * *

 

The class is so full. Yuta looks around the room to find Johnny because Taeil is not taking this class. Usually, the taller guy reserves a seat for Yuta next to him so they will not get bored later when the lesson starts. He spots Johnny talking to someone sitting next to him. Yuta starts to walk towards them but then he sees the lecturer comes into the class and decides to just sit on one of the empty seats at the back. He doesn’t really like to sit at the back and wished that he would have Johnny to distract him from the thoughts of Sicheng. It seems like the universe is not letting him run away from his thoughts.

“Alright, welcome back to Econometrics. Today we will discuss about…”

Yuta takes out his books and pen. If Johnny isn’t going to distract him with his rants, Yuta hopes to at least get distracted by actually learning something.

The lesson goes by slowly. Yuta tries his best to keep his focus on the paragraphs shown on the projected screen. But he feels that he’s taken away from where he currently is. Yuta is pretty sure he still has his eyes open and is still sitting in his Econometrics class but the things he sees change. The classroom and the people around him fade slowly, replaced by cars passing. Yuta is walking somewhere, or feels like he is walking somewhere. He shakes his head harshly to get rid of the vision but it doesn’t seem to be going away. He keeps on walking past the tall buildings and peaceful residents towards to edge of the city near the creek. There is a strangely smooth patch of land and he stops there. Facing the creek, he reaches out his right hand and Yuta feels a sudden tremendous pain on his hand.

“Aakk!”

Yuta is now back in the classroom. He must have made quite a loud noise because pairs of eyes are now staring at him. The attention on him doesn’t stay long, though. The class continues after he says a short apology. Yuta looks at his hand. The hand is fine but why does it still hurt? Yuta doesn’t know what is going on but he knows that this has something to do with Sicheng. He needs to find him.

Once the class is over, Yuta zooms out of the classroom. Johnny calls out to him a few times but Yuta ignores him. He needs to find Sicheng. His brain supplies that the vision that he saw was what Sicheng saw so he quickly catches a bus that will take him the closest to the creek on the edge of the city.

The bus arrives quickly and Yuta is grateful that it doesn’t take him long to reach the creek. He runs towards the creek, repeatedly calling Sicheng’s name. After a few minutes of roaming in panic, he spots Sicheng sitting against a tree. The man seems to be healing his right arm. A soft orange beam hums around his arm.

“Sicheng!” Yuta shouts his name. He runs to Sicheng and pulls him in a tight hug.

“Yuta?”

Yuta lets him go reluctantly. “Is your hand okay?”

“It’s—How did you find me?”

“I felt it. I saw it and I felt it as if it was my own hand.”

“What do you mean? You felt it?”

Yuta nods. “Are you okay? Please tell me you’re okay.”

“My arm will be okay once I’m done healing it but it seems that something is stopping me from going back to where I come from.” Sicheng pauses. “What do you mean you felt me hurting my hand?”

Yuta tells him what he experienced in the classroom. “You cannot go back to your world? Does that mean you have to stay here now?”

Sicheng shifts his position so Yuta can sit comfortably next to him instead of crouching in front of him. “You… You felt my pain?”

“I did. Sicheng, are you really doing something to me?”

Sicheng takes a deep breath. “I’m not doing anything. I told you that.”

“Then what is it? Is something bad happening?”

 

* * *

 

Soulmate is a tale as old as time. Sicheng has read about it so many times in Ten’s romance novels. He has also read about it in the ancient textbooks. A soulbond is very rare, especially one shared between a gifted and a mundane. Simply because a soulbound is something magical and mundane do not experience nor has magic.

Sicheng did not want to entertain the thought of Yuta as his soulmate when he felt the rush of love and affection everytime he was around Yuta before. He brushed it off as a mere gratitude and familiarity for being taken care of while he was in a cat form. He also brushed it off when he fell in love with Yuta in less than a day without them actually interacting much. His suspicions are confirmed from what Yuta told him. Only soulbounds can connect to each other that way. He could only imagine what the whole thing is like for the mundane. Sicheng doesn’t want to scare him.

“I don’t know, Yuta. I’m sorry. This is so bad. I shouldn’t have left,” Sicheng answers him instead, his expression sorrowful. He doesn’t know what to tell Yuta. Soulbond is a tricky thing. Once soulmates meet, they will always be bound to each other. They will always find their way to each other one way or another.

Yuta’s hand moves slowly to land on his cheek, softly turning Sicheng’s head to face him. “I’m sorry about how I acted this morning. I was…scared because I suddenly feel…”

Sicheng smiles at him. “It’s fine. I can’t even begin to imagine how weird this whole thing must be for you.”

“So you can’t go back to your world, huh?”

Sicheng rests his head on Yuta’s shoulder. He hopes it’s not too much for Yuta. “I’m sorry. I can find a job and a place to say. I won’t bother you anymore.”

The last words came out with difficulty. Sicheng feels his heart stops for a bit, not in the good way.

Suddenly, Yuta grabs on his jacket hard and pulls Sicheng against him tightly. “No!”

Sicheng lifts his head from Yuta’s shoulder to look at him.

“Sicheng, that—don’t say that please. I-it hurts, literally. Just… just…”

Sicheng stares into Yuta’s eyes. He sees pain and confusion and fear. Sicheng gives in to the soulbond’s demands and kisses him.

 

* * *

* * *

 

“Was that your friend?” Ten asks a panting Johnny that was trying to catch up to Yuta.

Johnny nods, still panting. Ten pouts from losing the opportunity to get close to Yuta. That means he has not sensed his energy yet so it will be hard for him to find Yuta. He has to figure out another way. Maybe he should just track Sicheng’s energy and get this whole thing done with.

“What’s wrong?”

Ten quickly schools his expression. “Ah, nothing,” he laughs sheepishly. “I’m just hungry. Do you know where I can find something to eat?”

Johnny throws Ten a smile. “Of course. Let me take you there.”

“You don’t have to,” Ten mumbles. Johnny sushes him.

“That’s okay. I got nothing better to do anyways.”

Just like that, Ten lets himself be dragged across the campus, all thoughts of Sicheng momentarily gone. He can think about it a little bit later, after lunch.

 

* * *

* * *

 

It was dizzying. Intoxicating.

It was just one little kiss. Nothing but an innocent peck on his mouth. It ends way too quickly for Yuta’s liking. He blinks away the haze and sees Sicheng’s bright eyes and blushing cheeks. Yuta leans in again. He can feel Sicheng’s lips trembling against his before the man threads his slender fingers in Yuta’s dark brown locks. Sicheng pulls him closer and Yuta feels his senses intensified. Every movement, every small twitch of Sicheng’s finger, he feels it.

The kiss is innocent. No tongue, just two pairs of lips moving languidly against one another. It was enough to make Yuta shake in anticipation for something more. Sicheng pulls on his hair a bit. Yuta gasps in reflex and Sicheng’s tongue pokes inside his hot mouth. Yuta feels all sorts of way when their tongues meet. He wraps his arm around Sicheng and pulls him closer. Sicheng pushes him down so he lies against the cold forest floor. The ground beneath Yuta’s back is uneven and dirty from decaying leaves, but Yuta couldn’t care less. Definitely not when his body is on fire from Sicheng’s tongue tasting his.

Sicheng pulls away a moment later. Yuta tries to pull him back down but Sicheng puts a hand on his chest.

“Let’s just…calm down first,” Sicheng tells him.

Yuta looks at him. His face is pink from the heat they shared. His lips are red, a little bit puffy and shiny under the shadows of the trees. “You look like you had a wild time,” Yuta teases him.

Sicheng looks away from embarrassment. He definitely doesn’t look like someone who had taken the lead of the kiss they just shared. This makes Yuta wonder how his own appearance looks like.

“I don’t think I can fight whatever this is between us,” Yuta tells him.

Sicheng sighs. “Neither do I. But I like it.”

Yuta laughs before pulling Sicheng back down for another kiss. Just a short one this time. Sicheng was right, they should calm down. “I like it too. I like you,” Yuta confesses to the blushing man on top of him. “Stay with me?”

Sicheng smiles and nods.

 

* * *

 

The lights are bright. The sound is loud. Sicheng has never experienced anything like this before. He is currently holding hands with Yuta, walking along the stalls of the night market in their city. Occasionally, he would pull on Yuta’s hand to ask him to stop so he could try the pancakes or the corn dogs.

“You’re so cute,” Yuta says to him after he shoves a spoonful of cheesecake into his mouth. Sicheng blushes at the comment. “You like the cake?”

“It’s really good,” Sicheng replies him with a mouthful of cake. Yuta leans in to peck his lips before licking off the cream on the corner of his mouth.

“Gross,” a voice comments. Sicheng turns to look at the source of the voice.

“Johnny?” Yuta addresses the man. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I’m with a friend. You, on the other hand,” Johnny glances at Sicheng, looking at him from top to bottom. “seem to be on a date. Is this why you’ve been ditching Taeil and me? _Oh!_ Is this the cat you told us about?”

Yuta facepalms. “Yes, and no. It’s—“

“You know what? I don’t even want to know.”

Sicheng’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets when he sees someone walking towards them. It’s Ten.

“Johnny~” Ten calls out to Johnny. He seems to not notice Yuta and Sicheng standing in front of Johnny. _What the heck is this guy doing here?_ Sicheng tugs on Yuta’s hand to ask him to move but it’s too late.

“Hello,” Ten greets him and Yuta.

_What?_

Sicheng did not expect that from Ten. He has known Ten since they were still teenagers. That is definitely not how Ten would react if he met him. Also, still, _what the hell is Ten doing here?_ _Was he sent to take Sicheng back?_

Sicheng does not catch anything exchanged between Yuta and Johnny. He looks at Ten and Ten looks at him back. Sicheng knows that Ten recognizes him but he just doesn’t want to acknowledge him with Johnny and Yuta around for some reason.

“Maybe we should just stick together for the rest of the night?” Johnny advises. Sicheng frowns. He wants to spend the evening just with Yuta and now he has to think about Ten.

“Dude, just because you’re denying that you’re on a date, you don’t have to drag me and Sicheng into it,” Yuta says. “Go, enjoy your night with Ten. Nice to meet you again!”

Sicheng sighs in relief. He grabs Yuta’s face in his hands and kisses him.

“Whoa, whoa. What was that for? Not that I’m complaining.”

“For saving me from Ten.”

“Saving you from—what?”

“Ten is a member of my team.” Sicheng then continues to tell Yuta about his team back in the magic world and their missions. “So, I guess he was sent to take me back.”

“But you tried to cross and you couldn’t?”

_Because you, my soulmate, are here and our soulbond keeps us from being separated by the veil, so my magic won’t work. It’s a different story if he is retrieved by someone else, using someone else’s magic._

Sicheng says instead, “My magic didn’t work. It’s different if it’s with his.”

Yuta pulls Sicheng into a hug. “So? You don’t want to go back?”

“I--” _I’m bound to you_. “I don’t want to.”

Yuta seems to be happy with his answer. He places a soft kiss on Sicheng’s cheek. “Well, let’s leave this place so we won’t run into the two of them again.”

“Thank you.”

 

* * *

 

It’s 3.03am.

Yuta suddenly feels really cold. His blanket is still covering his body but something is missing.

 _Sicheng_. He reaches out an arm to feel around the bed for Sicheng’s warm body. He cannot feel him.

Yuta jerks himself awake only to find his bed empty. Sicheng isn’t there anymore.

“Sicheng!”

Yuta quickly gets off the bed and looks for him in his apartment. Kitchen, none. Bathroom, none. Living room, none. Balcony, none.

 _No, no, no, no, no_.

Yuta can feel his body ache due to Sicheng’s disappearance. He has figured out by this time that there is some magical connection shared between him and Sicheng that makes it painful for them to be separated from each other.

Quickly, Yuta grabs a coat and puts on his shoes to look for Sicheng outside. He doesn’t know where to go. He closes his eyes every now and then, trying to get the same vision that he got before. _Nothing_. He cannot feel Sicheng.

He suddenly remembers what Sicheng said about Johnny’s friend, Ten. So he starts running to Johnny’s house.

He has to find Sicheng.

_Please let him be okay._

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!  
> Don't forget to leave kudos and comments!
> 
> Buy me a [kofi](http://ko-fi.com/21bangsfangirl), if you'd like! :D


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